“I paint almost every day,” says Rich Untermann, owner of the Spanish Garden Inn in the heart of downtown Santa Barbara. “When I like a painting, I frame it, and hang it someplace in the hotel. I shift them around until they feel comfortable—it is in a constant shuffle.”

Over the years, Untermann’s paintings have filled up most of the hangable places in the hotel’s public spaces and 24 rooms. The self-taught painter is also an architect and, 17 years ago, he designed the hotel with the help of his wife, an interior designer.

Rich Untermann’s paintings, photo by Amanda Hurley.

The couple moved to Santa Barbara from Seattle in 1995. On their list of requirements for their chosen relocation was an ocean and a university. “My wife and I wanted to buy property downtown—an urban hotel, and historic, like Santa Barbara,” says Untermann.

Their lushly landscaped Spanish-style boutique hotel is located, appropriately, on Garden Street. Once through the big wooden front doors, it’s hard not to notice Untermann’s watercolors—in the lobby, the dining room, lining the halls. His work looks as if it could be at home in a Caribbean beach hut; it exudes a sunny, breezy island vibe.

Hotel interior with Rich Untermann’s paintings. Photo by Zeke Ruelas.

Locals might recognize some of the landmarks in Untermann’s work: a favorite hangout for Reggae Tuesdays, or an ocean-front restaurant. He has a few paintings of MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation for kids and one of the dolphin statue on State Street. “My favorite watercolor artist is Dong Kingman,” says Untermann. “He’s a calligrapher with a wonderful way of seeing the world. I like most of the California plein-air painters from the ’20s to the ’40s, like Rex Brandt, Milford Zornes, Phil Dike, Maynard Dixon and Standish Backus.”

There is only one other artist whose work hangs on the Spanish Garden Inn’s walls: “A recent influence, my buddy, who just passed away, Ron Freeze, with whom I painted every Thursday for the last 10 years. He taught me a lot about color and being more bold.”

Rich Untermann painting, photo by Amanda Hurley.

Since Untermann changes the art regularly, he often uses holiday themes; on St. Patrick’s Day he hung paintings of local pubs; and when key elections are taking place he’s been known to switch out the art in the rooms with subtle political messages, in the hope of encouraging people to vote. “I have a collection of places flying American flags, and of polling stations in different places, like in Kauai,” says Untermann.

With such a perfectly spacious and inviting place to house their art, the Untermanns look to be staying put on Garden Street: “What’s not to like about Santa Barbara? We like that the city really takes care of itself, and that there are active discussions about most issues.”

Rich Untermann’s paintings, photo by Amanda Hurley.

Most of all, Untermann appreciates that he has his own private museum—with nobody to answer to about where and what to hang, in a city that’s known for its distinctive art and architecture standards.